I

INTRODUCTION.

1.  A  new  Edition  o£  this  Work  having  been
called  for  (the  Fourteenth  from  the  first  publication ­
  of  “  The  Law  relating  to  Friendly  Societies/’
by  the  late  Mr.  John  Tidd  Pratt  (a),  and  the
Second  since  the  passing  of  the  Friendly  Societies
Act,  1875,  when  the  Work  had  to  be  re-written),
the  opportunity  has  been  taken  of  embodying  in
the  text  the  several  amendments  in  the  Friendly
Societies  Act,  1875,  which  were  introduced  by
the  Friendly  Societies  Amendment  Act,  1876,
and  the  new  heading  to  section  30,  which  was
provided  by  the  Act  to  declare  the  true  meaning
of  that  section  passed  in  the  year  1879  (b)  for
the  purpose  of  removing  the  doubt  thrown  upon
that  meaning  by  the  decision  of  the  Queen’s
Bench  Division  in  the  case  of  Holt  v.  The  United
Patriots  Friendly  Society  (c).  Some  important
matters  of  practical  interest  which  have  arisen  in
the  working  of  the  Act  have  also  been  explained
and  additional  forms  of  rules,  &c.,  furnished  (d).
Part  III.  of  the  present  Edition,  which  comprises
(a)  See  p.  46.  (b)  42  Viet.  c.  9.
(c)  Law  Hep.  4  Q.  B.  Div.  29.
(d)  The  Treasury  regulations  and  forms  appended  thereto
have  not,  however,  been  reprinted  in  this  Edition,  as  they
are  now  published  officially  by  Her  Majesty’s  Stationery
Office,  and  may  be  obtained  of  Messrs.  Shaw  and  Sons,
agents  for  that  department.

B